Successively extensible exercise device



Nov. 23, 1965 J. v. MELcHloNA SUCCESSIVELY EXTENSIBLE EXERCISE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April l5, 1963 I N VE N TQR. James L//Velc/zza/za Nov. 23, 1965 J. v. MELCHIONA SUCCESSIVELY EXTENSIBLE EXERCISE DEVICE Filed April 15, 196s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOB. dames K/ye/c/zzofza BY AT'TY.

United States Patent O 3,219,342 SUCCESSIVELY EXTENSIBLE EXERCISE DEVICE James V. Melchiona, 6724 Menz Lane, Cincinnati, Ohio Filed Apr. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 273,190 4 Claims. (Cl. 272-68) The present invention relates to exercising devices and is particularly directed to an exerciser that will simultaneously develop the muscles of the hands, wrists, forearms, arms, shoulders, and back of the human body.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel exercising device which is especially designed for use in the performance of lateral exercising motions in front of, and on a level with, the exercisers chest with the arms akimbo.

Another object of the invention is to provide an exerciser having the foregoing characteristics which when used combines both the stretch type, resistance muscle exercises done against an increasing tension and the so called isometric muscle exercises which are exerted against an unyielding element. In the resistance exercises the muscles are progressively shortened during contraction, whereas in the isometric exercises the muscles are held in contracted positions whilst working with maximum force against an immovable element. I have found that a combination of these two exercises builds real strength to the hands, wrists, forearms, arms, shoulders and back of the human body and that said exercises are combined in an improved sequence in my device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a resistance and isometric exercising device that will be initiated by a light exertion but quickly attains a maximum resistance in a short muscle produced expanding action and yet be usable by everyone interested in the development of the arms, wrists, hands, forearms, arms, shoulders and back muscles.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device wherein the isometric, non-stretchable element thereof will be incorporated therein in such manner as to protect the yieldable resistable element against distorting effects that might destroy use of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a greatly simplified device that is especially designed as a practical home exerciser for use by all members of a household.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of my exercising device, parts thereof being broken away and shown in central section.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the exercising device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a modified form of my exercising device.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on lines 4 4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of another modification of my exercising device, parts being broken away and shown in central section.

FIG. 6 is a section taken on lines 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Now with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings the numerals 10 and 11 indicate spaced apart handles that are preferably made of solid, rigid material, each of the handles having integral, threaded lugs 12 and 13 extending from opposed ends thereof. A set 14 of spaced, longitudinally resilient strips 15, of varying lengths in the set, extend between adjacent ends of the spaced apart handles 10 and 11 and, as best shown in FIG. 1 the distal ends of the strips in each set are provided with alignable apertures 16, through which projects the handle lug, a knurled nut 17 cooperating with the lug to provide a detachable connection between each end of a handle and ICC the distal ends of each set of resilient strips. It is now considered best to utilize the same resilient stock for all the strips in the sets so that all strips have the same width, thickness and elasticity and that the shortest strip in each set be located on the handle side of the set with the remaim'ng strips in the set progessively increasing in length in an outward direction from the handles. Each set 14 of strips has a flexible, nonstretchable strip 18 associated therewith, said strip 18 having a greater length than the longest resilient strip 15 in said set. The -distal ends of this strip 18 are provided with apertures 19 which engage over the handle lugs and are detachably secured to said handles by the nuts 17. A crescent shaped rib 20 projects upwardly from each end of the handle to serve as a means for aligning the strips on each of the handle ends and of maintaining said strips in proper positions in the sets when the exerciser is being used.

With particular reference to FIG. 1 there is shown in dotted lines the right hand 21 and the left hand 22 of a human being holding my exerciser in front of the body about on the level with the chest and with the arms akimbo. As the handles are manually moved away from each other in the directions of the arrows 23 the shortest strip 15 of each set 14 will be elongated initially building up a relatively light tension and thereafter as the divergent handle movement progresses outwardly successive strips 15 will be made operative to quickly build up a relatively great tension in the exerciser. The strips 15 will thus provide muscle contracting exercises for the hands, wrists, forearms, arms, shoulders and back of its user, it being also noted that as the strips are stretched and released by the hands, the handles can be simultaneously rotated in counterclockwise directions as indicated by the arrows 24 in FIG. 1 to provide still further muscle exercises. After all the strips have been stretched and before the shortest strip of each set reaches its limit of elasticity the non-stretchab'le strips 18 associated with each set are brought into operation, such situation occurring before the arms of the exerciser reach fully extended positions at the sides of the body. At this point the exerciser has reached an immovable exercising position and it is at this point that isometric, muscle building exercises occur which when held momentarily after the exerciser has stretched the device to its fullest, provides additional beneficial muscle building and toning functions. Obviously a fewer or greater number of strips 15 may be utilized in each set 14 of my device by the expedient of the detachable strip and handle connections, and exercises for persons of different physical strengths can be provided with a kit supplying a number of strips of different lengths for detachable connection with the pair of handles.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 there is shown a modiiication of my exerciser comprising an inner loop 25 made of one-piece resilient material and formed with opposed, relatively wide portions 26 and 27 which are joined at their common ends by narrower strip portions 28. Successively larger loops 29 of resilient strip material are aligned with the inner loop 25, common opposed portions of said loops 29 being secured to the wide portions 26 and 27 of the inner loop as by rivets 30 and 31, respectively. The hands of the exerciser are inserted into the loops of the exercising device around the wide portions 26 and 27 which when rmly grasped by the exerciser fold around the fastened portions of the loops to provide opposed handles for the exercising device; the narrow portions 28 of the inner loop 25 and the free portions of the loops 29 providing two sets of elastic strips each connecting together common ends to the handles. This modification is used in the same manner as the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it being understood that a non-stretchable outermost loop (not shown) may be associated with the. illustrated device by the rivets 3.0 and 31 when an exerciser 1s desired providing isometric muscle producing characteristics.

Referring now to FIGS. and 6,there is shown another modification of my exercising device having two spaced handle members 32 and 33 made of relatively inflexible material and Which are tubular in form and open at both ends; a longitudinal slit 34 `being formedthrough the tubular body of each handle so that each handle canbe forced open for convenient assembly of the exercismg device. A continuous strip 35 of resilient material is formed into a number of loops 36 which gradually become larger outwardly from the smallest inner loop', diametrically opposed portions of all of said loops being securedl together as by rivets 37 and 38. The looped resilient strip, so formed, is inserted through the slots 34 in the handles to` assume the positions indicated in FIG. 5, a larger loop 39Y of nonstretchable material also being preferably entered, into the handles to provide for isometric exercising with this modified form of my device. Thus, with the parts in position as, shown in FIG. 5 the handles 32 and 33 are grasped by an eXerciser and pulled apart in the manner described with respect to my device shown in FIGS. l and 2 of the drawing, it being noted that the loops provide sets of resilient strips of varying lengths which connect together common sides of t-he handles whilst the nonstretchable loop 39 forms an outer limit stop to protect the resilient loops against distortion beyond their several elastic limits whilst providing the isometricexercising feature for this exercising device.

It will therefore be understood that I have providedl fications of my device are of resilient material which, in

the course of long usage, are liable to mechanical fatigue and may then even `break during use. My isometric, nonstretchable strip guards against injury to the person in the event one or more of the resilient strips would break, thus providing al means for preventing injury to an exerciser using my device.`

What is claimed is:

1. In an exercising de vice the combination of a pair of wide and Hat handles disposed in spaced apart, sideby-side relationship, an integral resilient stripconnecting together common ends of the handles, resilient loops of different diameters encircling the handles and the resilient strips, and means securing opposed portions of the loops to the central parts of the handles to provide sets of elastic strips ofV different lengths connected at common ends to the handles.

2. In an exercising device the combinationv of a pair of tubular, open ended handles disposed iny spaced apart, side-by-side relationship, a one-piece resilient strip formed tol provide a plurality of loops of` dilerent, diameters, said loops being connected together at` diametrically opposedy portions and entered through the handles, said connected loops providing sets of resilient strips of ditferent lengths connecting together common ends of the handles.

3. In an exercising device the combination of a pair of spaced apart relatively movable elements, a rst short elastic means connected at each end to the elements and extensible upon application of an initial force maintaining the said elements in spa-ced relationship, a second elastic means of greater length than said first elastic means connected at each end to the elements, and extensible only upon application of a further force maintaining the elements in greater spaced relationship, and a further elastic means of greater length than said second elastic means connected at each end to the elements and extensible only upon application of a force greater than that required to elongate the rst and second elastic means to maintain the elements in even greater spaced relationship, each elastic means being elongated and placed under progressively greater tensions as the elements are operatively moved tow-ard fully extended. positions.

4,. In an exercising device the combination of a pair of spaced apart relatively movable elements, a first short elastic means connected at each end to the elements and extensi-ble upon application of an initial force maintaining the said elements in spaced relationship, a second elastic means of greater length than` said rst elastic means connected at each end to the elements, and extensible only upon application of a further force maintaining the elements in greater spacedV relationship, a further elastic means of greater length thany saidr second elastic means connected at eachV end` to the elements and extensible only upon application of a, force greater than that required to` elongate the first and second elastic means to maintain the elements in even greater spaced relationship, each elastic means being elongated and placed under progressively greater-tensions as the elements are operatively moved toward fully extended positions, and a nonstretchable element of greater length than the said further elastic means operative to limit movement of the elements beyond a predetermined fully extended position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED srArEs'PATENTs 938,348 10/1909 stun 272-68 972,284 10/1910 storey 272-83 .1,538,845 5/1925 rims 272-82 1,633,124 6/1927 No@ 272-82 1,698,831 1/1929 Titus 272-83 2,118,114 5/1938 schenk 272-82 2,837,334 6/1958 Long 272-68 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,470 10/1902 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM', Primary Examiner, DELBERI B. LOWE, Examiner.. 

3. IN AN EXERCISING DEVICE THE COMBINATION OF A PAIR OF SPACED APART RELATIVELY MOVABLE ELEMENTS, A FIRST SHORT ELASTIC MEANS CONNECTED AT EACH END TO THE ELEMENTS AND EXTENSIBLE UPON APPLICATION OF AN INITIAL FORCE MAINTAINING THE SAID ELEMENTS IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP, A SECOND ELASTIC MEANS OF GREATER LENGTH THAN SAID FIRST ELASTIC MEANS CONNECTED AT EACH END TO THE ELEMENTS, AND EXTENSIBLE ONLY UPON APPLICATION OF A FURTHER FORCE MAINTAINING THE ELEMENTS IN GREATER SPACED RELATIONSHIP, AND A FURTHER ELASTIC MEANS OF GREATER LENGTH THAN SAID SECOND ELASTIC MEANS CONNECTED AT EACH END TO THE ELEMENTS AND EXTENSIBLE ONLY UPON APPLICATION OF A FORCE GREATER THAN THAT REQUIRED TO ELONGATE THE FIRST AND SECOND ELASTIC MEANS TO MAINTAIN THE ELEMENTS IN EVEN GREATER SPACED RELATIONSHIP, EACH ELASTIC MEANS BEING ELONGATED AND PLACED UNDER PROGRESSIVELY GREATER TENSIONS AS THE ELEMENTS ARE OPERATIVELY MOVED TOWARD FULLY EXTENDED POSITIONS. 